1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to board games, and more particularly to an automotive racing game including many factors which simulate the sport of automotive racing.
Due to the ever increasing popularity of automobile racing, board games which simulate automobile racing are well known in the prior art. Such automobile racing games include a game board having a track laid out with multiple lanes, a starting line, victory lane, and a winner's circle. Player position markers resembling race cars are provided with a score sheet for each player. Players may choose a position marker as desired and play alternates among the players with the quantity of each move along the track being determined by the dice or other suitable device.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,151 discloses a race game apparatus having an oval track structure arranged with a plurality of contiguous concentric tracks whereon the players advance their respective tokens, each move being determined by a roll of the dice. A plurality of the spaces are associated with directional cards of reward and punishment to introduce an element of chance to the game.
However, such board games offer the player little in terms of strategic options which simulate the actual sport of automobile racing.
Thus, it will be appreciated that there is a need for a new and improved automotive racing game as set forth by the present invention which offers the players strategic options and strategies similar to those utilized in the sport of automobile racing.
2. Description of Related Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,151 to Dana D. Bergerstock discloses a race game apparatus including an oval track structure arranged with a plurality of contiguous concentric tracks, wherein the tracks each include a plurality of spaces. A plurality of these spaces are associated with directional cards of reward and punishment types to introduce an element of chance into play of the game.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,293 to Daniel A. Goyette discloses an auto racing game apparatus including a game board having a track laid out with multiple lanes and overlapping lane spaces, with a starting line, victory lane and winner's circle. Player position markers resembling racing cars are provided with a lap chart/score sheet for each player and a series of lap and pit cards. Play alternates among the players with the quantity of each move being determined by the dice or other suitable device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,264,076 to Bittle J. Duncan discloses a board racing game apparatus including playing pieces and a board having arrows marked thereon forming a continuous track divided into lanes. One group of arrows provides a preferred route around the track, certain members of another group of arrows provide for lane changing on the track straightaways so that a driver may maneuver his vehicle into the race track "groove", and a third group of arrows effects movement on the track.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,078 to Gary Hatter discloses an auto racing board game including a game board having a simulated race course thereon with a plurality of adjacent racing grooves. Each racing groove is divided into a plurality of sequential playing spaces, with a starting position, half way point stripe, a turn four stripe and a finish line.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,152 to Jesse L. Rouse et al. discloses an automotive racing game including a playing board having a series of contiguous and continuous tracks, each of the tracks defined by spaces of varying lengths, wherein tokens directed throughout the tracks may switch lanes to gain access to varying length spaces to advance about the tracks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,178 to A. Keith Hollar discloses a car racing board game simulating an automobile race for one or more players including a flexible game board with a first race track depicted on one side and a second, generally smaller track on the opposite side. A textured track surface enables playing cars to remain in place if the flexible game board is placed on uneven or banked support surfaces to simulate real-life tracks. Novel rules for playing require decision making and strategy, thus creating a realistic environment of racing, changing with each play of the game.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,698 to Robert F. Lyon discloses an auto racing board game comprising a playing board with a race track printed thereon, a track having an outer periphery with a plurality of lanes, each lane comprising a plurality of individually printed blocks, the center section of the track including a plurality of racing related printed structures formed in a variety of shapes and sizes, the game simulating a real life auto race by encouraging players to avoid the types of hazards normally found in a real race.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,044,779 to Joseph L. Hvizdash discloses an automobile racing game including a game board having an oval-shaped automobile race track printed thereon and divided into a plurality of lanes, the game simulating actual automobile racing in that many of the chance occurrences which take place during an actual race are incorporated into the game on a chance basis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,232 to Lisa K. Sheppard et al. discloses an automobile board game simulating various aspects of automobile ownership and operation. The game comprises a game board subdivided into several playing paths including a path extending around the perimeter of the board with spaces representing detriment to the player and spaces representing benefit to the player, and areas spaced inwardly of the perimeter, representing home bases or towns of the players. Play variation cards corresponding to the various spaces on the board are provided to govern play according to the instructions on the cards.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,628,073 to John B. Sousa discloses a board game having a race course delineated thereon comprising a plurality of tracks merging at opposite ends thereof into a single track, game pieces representing racers, play indicators, such as dice and scoring means.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,433,483 to Lonnie T. Ellis discloses a game board apparatus having an inner and outer closed playing paths including relatively large and unequal numbers of playing positions. The inner and outer paths are color-coded in different colors. Paths connect the inner and outer paths at spaced intervals. A pair of playing markers is provided for each player and the game board includes separate start and finish positions for each player.
Finally, U.S. Pat. Des. 210,395 to William C. Royston discloses the ornamental design for a game board having a generally oval-shaped race track including a plurality of tracks thereon as shown and described.